Improvement in book-supports or table attachments for bedsteads



A. M. EASTMAN. BOOK-SUPPORTS 0R TABLE ATTACHMENTS FOR BEDSTEAD'S.

No.178.747. Patented June 13, 1876.

N. PETERS, FNOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. Dv C4 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ANDREW M.

EAsTMAN, OF soMEEvILLE, ASSIGNOR To TUCKER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,747, dated June 13,1876; application filed May 1, 1876. V

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW MURRAY EASTMAN, of Somerville, in the countyof Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulApparatus to be Applied to a Bed, to Serve as a Table, Book- Support,850. and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the artto which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

In such drawing, Figure 1 denotes an end elevation of my invention asapplied to a bedstead, or one of the side rails thereof, (the dark linesshowing the stand or table in a horizontal position, and the dottedlines representing it as inclined.) Fig. 2 is a top view of the same.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device as detached.

My invention is specially designed as an attachment to bedsteads for theuse and convenience of invalids, and consists in the peculiarconstruction and combination with a bedstead of an adjustable table orbook-support, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing, A denotes the stand or table, which is made of wood andof rectangular or other desirable shape, such table having a ledge orflange, a, projecting upward and extending entirely around the same. Bis a metallic segment, having arms 11 b projecting backward at rightangles to the plane of the segment, and connected by screws to the undersurface of the table. O is a cylindrical metallic rod disposedunderneath the table, and extending longitudinally and centrallythereof, and through brackets c c, affixed to the under face of thetable. One end of the rod is rigidly affixed to an adjustable slider, D,which embraces a cylindrical standard or rod, E, whose foot is supportedin a metallic clamp-frame, F, provided with arms at d and d, whichextend down from opposite sides of the frame, the arm d having aset-screw, c, by which the frame may be firmly secured to the side railG of a bedstead, as shown in the drawings. The slider D is provided witha justed and clamped at any desirable altitude.

The segment B has a series of radial teeth or notches,f f, 860. formedon its outer edge to engage with the vertical standard E. H is a coiledspring, one end of which rests against the bracket 0, its other endresting against a pin, g, passing transverselythrough the rod O, onwhich the table is fulcrumed, the object of such spring being tomaintain the notches of the segment in impingement with the rod inwhatever position the table may be set, the

spring also allowing the table to be readily moved outward, so as tothrow the notches of the segment out of contact with the rod E, and thusenable the table to be readily moved into any desired position, whetherhorizontal or inclined.

I would remark that by my peculiar construction'and arrangement of partsthe device may be applied to either side rail of a bedstead, as may bedesirable, the series of notches extending around the segment allowingthe table to be tipped to any desirable extent in either direction.

From the above it will be seen that in the application of my improveddevice to a bedstead the clamp-frame F may be affixed at any desiredpoint on the bed-rail, and adjusted as circumstances may require. Thishaving been effected, the desired altitude of the table may be effectedby moving the slider D on the standard E, theset-screw e maintaining itin such position. If it is desirable that the table should behorizontal, we have simply to press the table outward or away from therod E,

and bring the middle notch of the segment so as to embrace such rod, theresilient action of the spring H maintaining it in such position. If thetable be in a horizontal position, and we desire to impart any requiredinclination thereto, we press the table outward, as before, and tip-itinto the desired angle, when the corresponding notch of the segment willbe caused to embrace the rod E, which will lock it securely in suchposition. It will also be obvious that when the table is not requiredfor use it may be detached from the bed by simply unscrewing theclamp-screw e; or, by

unscrewing the screw 11, the table may be rotated through an arc of onehundred and eighty degrees, so as to be located entirely outside of thebed.

Thus it will be apparent that the above-described invention constitutesa convenient and useful appendage to the bed of an invalid, as it notonly serves as a table to support his food in a desirable position, butas a Writingdesk, and also to'support a book at any re quired angleWhile he may be reading.

Having described my invention ,What I claim is-

